In just three years BrüMate has become one of the fastest-growing drinkware companies in the USA with a turnover of $35 million last year. Dylan Jacob, the 24-year-old entrepreneur behind the extraordinary growth, has always had a keen eye for business from a young age, as he recounts;
“I started my first lawn care company at the age of 9 using a $20 lawn mower I picked up at a garage sale and had 6 accounts in the neighborhood I would mow bi-weekly. I was only making around $250 per month but for a 9-year-old I was basically a millionaire.” Dylan explains that his upbringing had taught him the value of the dollar and that if he wanted something then he would have to put the work in to achieve it.
Dylan began another business while still in high school in order to purchase his first car. He started buying broken phones from Craigslist and ordering parts to repair them from eBay, he would then resell the fixed devices on Craigslist. With the rise of phone repair shops, he realized that he had to adapt his business model and began importing replacement parts from China and selling them to the stores directly, this led to his first real company, GV Supply Co. In May 2014 he sold the company for a 6-figure sum to a phone repair franchise. He later sold his second venture, Vicci Design, which offers high-end glass tiles in July 2017 and the company is still in operation.
BrüMate was founded as an answer to a common problem that had yet to be resolved, that of beer quickly reaching an undesirable temperature. He had identified a gap in the market and using his background in product development and e-commerce, set about creating the drinkware company. It quickly took off and according to Dylan, “building a brand has never been easier than it is now, compared to 10 years ago.”
His innovative approach and business acumen beyond his years can teach a lot to aspiring entrepreneurs as he reflects that; “Entrepreneurship presents new challenges every day. We often believe that the challenges are bigger than they truly are. I have seen entrepreneurs hesitate to take risks because of fear of failure. However, real success comes to those who dare to take the unexplored path. Today, even though I have established myself in the industry, I wish to experiment and explore newer markets, achieve greater heights, and become a market pioneer.”
Dylan’s passion for the company’s wide range of products and his strong customer focus fuels his drive for continued success, “We are optimistic about these products. The result and customer feedback encourage us to design better products that are more functional and useful than what currently exists. Our aim is to recognize the gap in the market and develop products that address the needs of a wide range of customers.”
Regarding the future of Dylan Jacob’s BrüMate, well it’s onwards and upwards from here, “Our aim is to achieve significant growth by constantly introducing new products that are ahead of the curve, improving the customer experience, implementing new marketing channels, and ramping up our distribution outside of the US.” I’ll raise a nice, cool beer to that!
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